Non-skid protector



T'.V H. GYTON.

NON-SKID PROTECTOR.

APPLICATION man sEPT.2s, 191s.

Patented July 20, 1920.

f I i THOMAS GYTON, or OOLLINGWOOD, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA.

NON-SKID FROTECTOR.

specication of Letters Patent.

Patented J u-ly 20, 1920.

ApplicationV filed September 23, 1918.v Serial No. 255,375.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that AI THOMAS HENRY GYTON, asubjectof the lling' of Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident ofthepostal district of Clifton Hill, city of Collingwood,

Y in the county of Bourke, State of Victoria,

Commonwealth of Australia, (whose postoliice address is 162 VNoonestreet, in the said postal district of Clifton Hill have invented newand useful Improvements in and Connected with Non-Skid Protectors, ofwhich the following is-.a specification.

This invention' relates to attachments for resilient tires, andespecially to pneumatic tires of motor vehicles,` whereby the tire isprotectedfroiirweaii or injury and skidding is minimized or prevented.`

Various devices have hitherto been em-k ployed with the object in view.Thesehave includedV various types of metallic armor, but a commonobjection to such armor Ahas beenv that itprevents'the free fleX'ure ofthe tiref against the road surface,.and thusrimpairs its resiliency.Thisl isv in most cases due to the fact that the metallic armor orshield is curvedor otherwiseshaped tO conform substantially tothef'shape of the exterior-'of the-tirewhichfisthus restricted in itsexpansion when-road inequalities or obstructionsare encountered.

Chains carrying@ various forms of nonskid de'vices'ha've alsobe'en usedto surround a'tire.

By the present invention, the objections above'stated are overcome and acheap, simple, and effective attachment of'l becoming appearance isprovided by the/use of a series of flat metal plates whichare arrangedclose to each other' around' the tread of the'ti're forwhi'ch they formanv even unrestricted track. The metal plates are suitably hingedtogether and are' provided with what are hereinafter referred to' askeepers which project-from the inner faces of the plates and areaccommodated by a' circumferential groove inthe treadfof the tire, thuspreventing. lateral displacement of the plates. The plates'areheldsecurely against the tire by a flexible retainer'consisting' of ametal cord, chain or other band which isv also disposed within thecircumferential groove ofi the tire. 'lhisretainery is quite separatelfrom the steel plates around' which it passes, so that any breakage oroerangement of the plates may be easily remedied without af feet-ing'the retainer and vice versa. The retainer' is renderedexpansible and isthus capable of accommodating itself to variationsin the diameter of atire by means of one or more springs or other elastic elementsinterposedin its length. It also insures the plates being kept in proper relativeposition on the tire and the? shape and arrangement of the' plates issuch that' sulficient air space is provided between the tire and saidplates toprevent undue heating of the parts.

Referring to the drawings which form part of thisA specification Figure1 is a part sectional side view of portion of a pneumatic tire coverwiththe invention applied.

Fig. 2 is a planv of Fig.- 1 the chainV or flexible retainer beingremoved and portion of a rubberized' leather stripl by which the plateslare hinged together being broken away for convenience of?V illustration.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectiontaken on line 3 3 lof Fig. 1.

Fig. el isv a detail view showing a novel method of attaching t-he endsof the flexible retainer to helicalsprings by which the retainer isrendered expansible.

Fig. is a cross' sectionof portion of a wheel having' twin solidrubberytires, showing the invention applied thereto and accommodated by thecircumferential groove or space between thetires.y

Fig. 6 is a detail plan view of portion of the tire treadv showing howcreepage of the plates may be preventedv by abutments protruding intorecessesin the sides of the circumferential groove of the tire.

Fig. 7 is a side sectional view taken through the middle of two of themetal plates and showing one method of hinging said plates together bymeans of links.

Fig. 8 is a cross section on line 8-8 of Fig. 7. Y

Fig. 9vis a plan of Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 shows another method of hinging the plates together.

Fig. -11 shows the hinging of the plates by means of links connected toU shaped lAO 5 such asto a pneumatic tirecover2 (Figs. l, 2 and 3)Y acircumferential groove 3 1s formed around .the center of the tread ofthe tire by any suitable means. This groove is preferably rectangular insection as shown in Fig. 3 but its shape may vary according tocircumstances. lt may be formed during manufacture of the tire or may becut from or built up upon the tread of an existing tire. In the case oftwin tires 4 (as in Fig;

. 5) the circumferential groove or space G which exists V.between thetires may take the place of the groove V3.

ln' combination, with a tire having` the circumferential groove, Temploy a series of flat steel or other metal plates 7. vThe size andnumber of these plates will depend upon conditions and the dimensions ofthe tire to which they are to be applied. The plates are arranged inclose proximity to each other and extend laterally across the tread,

their width being preferably greater than the widthof the actual treadsurface as seen in Fig. 3, although in some cases thewidth of the platesmay be the same as or less than the Width of the tread. 1

Protruding from the inner face of each plate 7 and preferably formedintegral therewith is a radial projection or keeper v8, which isaccommodated by the circumferential groove 3 or 6. Thekeeper ispreferably formed integral with the plate but may, if desired, beattached thereto ini any wellknown way. The height or depth of thekeeper is preferably such that a slightV air space exists between itsbottom and the bottom of the groove in the tire. The sides andy flexiblematerial or fabric 13. This strip is passedaround the tire inside thegroove v3 and flexibly connects the plates together so that a chain of.such plates is formed around the tire. Y f

As seen in Figs. 7, 3 and 9 gullet 14 may be formedr in thefkeeper ofeach plate, said keepers being interconnected by Ymeans of links 16which are accommodatedl by the gullets llland are retained in place by al bridge olate 17 riveted or otherwise attached to the bottom of thekeeper as shown. With such a form of hinge, it is preferable to providethe keeper with inset or converging sides as at 18 (Fig. 8) so-that thesides of the links 16 do not protrude beyond the Vbottom is removed at Aby the reference 22.V Ul shaped metal strips which the plates 7 .hingedtogether by a metal strap or loop 1U which passes through slots 2()formed near the ends of the keepers.

ln Figs. 11 and 12 portion of each keeper each end as indicated 21 arethen attached to the reduced bottom of the keeper by rivets or the like,links passing through and interconnecting with the U shaped stripsasshown.

A further embodiment of the .hinging means is illustrated in Fig.13whcreV bed plates 24 are attached underneath the bottoms of thekeepers, said bedplates being provided with beds 26 to. accommodate 'theconnecting links V27. The bedsV 2G may be formed by bending the bedplate but are preferably excavated from the bed plate as shownso thatthe bottom of said plate presents a perfectly fiat surface to the tire.The ends of the bed plates 24may be beveled as at 28, to avoidobjectionable sharp corners catching in the material of the tire.

Accommodated by .the circumferential channel whichfis, formed betweenthe sides ofthe keepers isv a flexible retainer 31 by are held in properposition upon thetire. This retainer consists of a suitable chain (suchas an ordinary bicycle chain) or other band into'k the length Y of whichare introduced one or more helical springs 32 of rubber or other elasticelements which will permit the retainer to ex-` pand and accommodateitself to the inflation of the tire while always fitting tightly againstthe, plates. A -novel means of connecting the ends of thechain or bandto the helical springs 32is shown in Figsfl and 4 and consist of aconnecting screw33 hav- Y ing a thread equal in pitch to the pitch ofthe spring coils into which it is threaded as shown and thus securelyattached to the spring end. The screws 33 mayV be provided with eyerings 34 at their outer ends to engage the links of the chain 3l. ThisVmethod of attaching the springs to the retainer is much superior to theusuall method of attaching an element to the extended ends of thehelical wire forming the spring as it causes a direct tension to beexerted on the center of the springs instead of'on one side thereof asin the case above mentioned.

Suitable means may be employed to prevent any likelihood of the plates 7creeping around the tire. Such means may consist of chains, straps orthe like suitablyconnected to the plates and fastened to the rim orspoke of the wheel or in lieu of such chains Vor straps a series ofrecesses 36 (Fig. 6) may be 4formed in the tire at each side of thecircumferential grooveV 3. These recesses accommodate abutinents 37which project from the sides of the keepers of selected plates and thuseffectively prevent any circumferential movement or creepage of theplates around the tire.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is l. The combination with a tire provided atits tread with an annular groove, said annular groove having laterallyextending notches formed in its side walls, of a series of transversemetallic plates contacting with the tread portion of the tire and havingcentral portions bent inwardly forming U-shaped hollow keepers extendinginto the annular groove, certain of said keepers having laterallyextending lugs entering the notches to prevent the plates from creepingupon the tire, means arranged within the annular groove and at thebottom of the keepers to connect the plates, and means for holding theplates in the groove.

2. A non-skid protector comprising a resilient spacing member adapted tofit in an annular groove formed in the tread of a tire, a series ofplates having U-shaped projections adapted to fit in the groove, saidplates being secured to and held in spaced relation by the resilientspacing member, and flexible means Jfor holding the plates in the grooveto prevent centrifugal movement of said plates.

3. A non-skid protector comprising a plu-` rality of plates formed witha U-shaped keeper adapted to fit in an annular groove in the tread of atire a resilient spacing member having the bottom of the keeper securedthereto for holding the plates in spaced relation, and means including ayielding element fitting in the keepers and adapted to preventcentrifugal movement thereof.

In testimony whereof, I aix my signature.

T. H. GrYTON` Witness: CEOIL MoCLAsTINo.

